Zia Cooke’s WNBA debut was both efficient and victorious. The Los Angeles Sparks made Cooke the 10th selection of the 2023 draft, and she went right to work for her new squad. The talented guard used a helpful screen from Dearica Hamby to create enough space to rise up for an elbow jumper that she drained despite a strong defensive effort by Phoenix Mercury guard Sug Sutton. Cooke scored 14 points on 5 of 6 from the field — she made both of her free throws and 3-pointers — while adding two rebounds and two assists in a 15-minute run off the bench in the Sparks’ 94-71 win on May 19, 2023. · May 20, 2023